A Long-Winded Observation

During discussion in class yesterday, we talked a little bit about how US Marines are brainwashed from the very begging to think and act solely for their platoon's survival. Later that night I watched A Few Good Men for the umpteenth time on TNT (AFGM). I thought about how this movie compares to Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) and I saw a major contradiction in the behaviors that are expected of a US Marine, especially in the end scene. (The scene I'm going to talk about I gave below just for you)

In the last scene, Lance Cpl. Dawson and Pfc. Downey are being read the verdict. They are found not guilty on all accounts except "On the charge of conduct unbecoming a United States Marine," They are going to be dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps for carrying out a Code red orderd by their commanding officer. The jury makes the decision that these men behaved wrongly and should not have followed the order, despite the fact that as Marines you are trained to follow orders. They feel that Dawson and Downy should still have fundamental morals, and should decide for themselves what is right and wrong. There's that contradiction, rearing it's ugly head. How can the jury expect the two soldiers to decide for themselves when they have been drilled over and over and over to decide for the platoon? During the trial Downey even says that he executed the not because he thought it was the right thing too do but because he "was given an order by my squad leader...and I followed it!"

In class we discussed how Marines were brainwashed in boot camp to follow orders and think in interest of the team. In FMJ, we see how the cadets pull a code red on Pvt. Gomer Pyle. Pyle's actions were making the rest of the platoon suffer, so the others decided that he needed to be punished. Had they been put on trial, would they too have been found guilty of "conduct unbecoming of a Marine?".

Really this was just a long winded observation I had about two military movies, and I had to share. It's interesting that Marines are expected to maintain the morals of civilian society, but at the same time protect their country by killing other men.